Who are you and what do you do?
James Taylor, Founder of Make My Blinds which specialises in selling made to measure blinds online.
How have you found your start-up journey so far?
This is my first venture into e-commerce, it’s been tough learning how an old outdated industry works, but exciting to see the potential and how there is room in the market for us to disrupt it and grow our presence online. Blinds may not seem exciting to most, but it represents a market that is only just moving online and one that is still dominated by high street retailers.
What do you listen to whilst you work?
Spotify when at work, but when commuting it’s always an audiobook or podcast that’s business related. I set myself a new year’s resolution of reading/listening to one business book a month back in 2016, now I’m up to about 55 book. Listening to something whilst commuting means that you’re still learning and educating yourself when you would otherwise be unproductive.
What drives you to get up in the morning?
Life and the challenge of growing a business. I’ve never been one to wake up late so being the first one in the office is not unusual. My outlook is that every moment you are awake you can be working towards your goal or improving yourself, and if you like sleep then that’s great, but my passion and motivation is growing and achieving my goals and creating a better life for me and my family.
What three things can’t you live without?
My health, family and friends.
What’s your best time-saving trick?
Leaving the office late when the traffic home has died down. Leave at 5pm and it takes 45 minutes to drive home, leave at 6 and its 20 minutes.
What have you learnt that you’d like others to know?
That business is a series of mistakes and lessons, if you are not making mistakes you are not moving forward or learning. You’ve got to keep trying and testing until you find what works for you.
Where do you see yourself and your business in 12 months?
As our turnover is directly linked to our position on Google, I want us to be ranking in the top 3 for the 20 largest blind related search terms, this would push our turnover into the multi-million pound bracket. That would be a good place to be 12 months from here.
The best advice you’ve ever received?
If you are going to fail, fail quickly.
Fill in the blank. I’d like to see ___ answer these same questions!
Ash Phillips
Check out Make My Blinds at www.makemyblinds.co.uk
